Jonathan Bartley

Jonathan graduated from the London School of Economics in 1994 and worked in the Westminster Parliament for a number of years on a cross-party basis, seeing it in action at first-hand.

Read about Jonathan’s experience and work to develop a network of independent political candidates, founding of Ekklesia, a remarkably successful and respected self-sustaining independent, not-for-profit think-tank which “works to promote radical theological ideas in public life”, think-tank and his involvement from late 2010 through to May 2011 as a vice-chair for the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign for the voting reform referendum.

Jonathan Bartley is working to improve the voting system. He believes that:

“A move to AV is a small change that will make a big difference. It will keep what is best about our current system – the link between an MP serving their local constituency – but strengthens it by making MPs work harder to get elected and giving voters more of a say.

“This is because, with AV, MPs would now have to aim to get more than 50% of the vote, and so will have to work harder and represent more of their constituents.

“You can be an MP today with less than 1 in 3 voters on your side. Under FPTP, MPs don’t need the support of most voters; they can get by with the support of less than a third of the vote. Two thirds of MPs have the support of less than 50% of their constituents.

“By contrast, AV rewards politicians who can reach out to the widest range of voters. It will strengthen the constituency link by giving voters more of a say, and will make MPs across the country work harder to get and keep their jobs.”

And here seen facing David Cameron on the subject of educating children with special needs in mainstream schools where possible.